Sorry I've been such a slacker with posting this. I've been on the blog, but checking race reports from you crazy ultra runners, speedy 5Kers and out-of-town marathoners. The good thing about the weekend is we FINALLY cleaned out our basement and I think I no longer have any boxes to unpack (yes, I've lived in my house for 5 years- what's it to you?!?) The bad part is we had to rent a dumpster to do it! Three families went in on the 18 cubic foot dumpster and I think we filled the lion's share, but we certainly did the dumpster proud! So, needless to say I was busy sorting, reminiscing and chucking ALL weekend. I didn't really race this. I was feeling dejected because I had no one to run with (that wasn't more than a 30 min drive away, thanks for the offers from many of you!), so I signed up Friday evening and paid for a tempo run. I figured I've never done a tempo run and I could certainly use one for training and a 'race' environment is perfect for me to remember to keep up my pace (the 'racers' around me are good pacers!). I was going to try to start with a mile warm-up, but I was lazy and slept in and didn't get there early enough to get it in. It was COLD (I am SO SO sick and tired of COLD AND WIND!) and I just found a few people and chatted a bit before the race. I think it took me about 4 miles to warm up once we were off. My body was just cold and my quads were pretty stiff for the first couple miles. Despite that, I was able to keep up my pace. About 1.5 miles into the race a group of guys (it was fun, because they were taller so I didn't feel like a giant in the group!) caught up to me and then I heard the 'leader' say "all right guys, we're going a little fast, we can back off now." I jokingly turned and said "Now that we caught the tall blonde, just stick with her for a while." They all laughed and we got to talking and chatting. They wanted to hit a 1:50 straight up, so I became their unofficial pacer - which didn't go so well later down the line. It was fun and they really made the race a good memorable one for me! Good times for sure. The big hill comes about mile 3-4 and I was ready for it. I think I've run it about 5 million times with the BBK's, and I knew I could push through it. I surged ahead of my pace group and caught Shelly at this point. I couldn't talk to her, due to the hill, and then at the top she had disappeared. I later found out that I again got 'pacing' duties for her and helped her realize she was putting too much into the race and she needed to back off. So helpful, I know :) I kept in front of my group to the aide station at mile 5 then down the big hill back to the JRP, but heading into the wind I lost it. My legs just fell out from under me and BLAH! This was about mile 7-8ish and my pace group gapped me by about 30ish seconds. I could still see them and kept in mind to catch them, but just didn't have the legs at the time. I coasted through the turn in Bluffdale and actually started feeling good again just before the S-curve. I could take it and I knew it! Bring it on!!! I ran the tangents on the S curve and I think that really ticked some people off, but isn't that a good thing to do and NOT go the long way around the outside? Anyway, oh well - I got it done and in good fashion. Although I felt like my pace was dropping I was constantly being able to pick off people as they slowed. Only one 'woman in black' stayed a consistent 3-5 seconds in front of me (I passed her once after the s-curve, but she passed me back at the last aide station when I stopped to actually make sure liquid got IN my mouth). At mile 12 aide station I finally caught my pace group (yeah, the one I was 'leading') as one of them came out of the pop. The group had split and half of them were ahead, but I finally caught the leader who was waiting for the pop guy. They then stayed maybe 10 seconds in front of me helping pull me into the finish. I didn't think I'd picked it up at all at the end, but according to splits I certainly did. I was pleased to see the clock under 1:50 (this was my MP goal for the tempo run). I knew I was well out of any range of AG prizes, but on my card I was happy to see 24th overall female and 9th in my AG. Not to shabby for a good tempo run! I had a chocolate milk and grabbed some fruit to take for later then set out with Chad R for a few cool down miles to hit my goal of 16 for the day. We just did a big loop around the park and back on the course. It was a wonderful chat and then we got back just in time for prizes and awards. A HUGE congrats to SO many people who won awards! I didn't get any prizes, but it was fun to watch the awards - plus I knew only my basement was waiting for me :( Overall, I think it was a successful run. Not that I want to pay to run every weekend, but having people to help keep me going on a tempo run to finish off a 45 mile week isn't too shabby!! AP: 8:19 (Garmin says 8:21, because I measured the course short at 13.04) splits: 8:25, 8:06, 8:13, 8:41 (the hill!), 8;22, 7:56 (back down), 8:38, 8:32 (I can feel myself losing it!), 8:43, 8:26, 8:25 (wouldn't know this was the S-curve!), 8:19, 7:48, 6:56 (last .04) I really think my progressive TM runs help me get back into a race and finish strong. At least, this is my reasoning - whether it's true or not is yet to be determined. I'm really proud of the last mile being Half-marathon race pace and having another mile under 8 as well! I know this helped my overall AP be what I wanted it too, but I really just ran the whole thing how I felt and tried to keep a consistent 'comfortably hard' pace. Definitely worth the money (not to mention cute shirt!).
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